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The Black Law Students' Association at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law is standing in solidarity with Black Lives Matter Toronto

Monday, April 11, 2016

·

March
30, 2016

The Black Law Students' Association at
the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law is standing in solidarity with Black
Lives Matter Toronto, alongside a growing list of anti-oppression groups,
organizations, and unions. The Black Lives Matter tent city protest stands
against anti-Black racism, police violence against our communities and
advocates the need to overhaul the Special Investigations Unit. We support the
Black Lives Matter Members because our members are directly impacted by everything
that they are fighting for. We are aware of the intersection of systemic
discrimination and the law, and believe that action must be taken in order for
there to be change. The tireless work of Black Lives Matter, and its allies,
has already led to Afrofest being restored to two days.

Like many organizations, we are calling
on Chief Mark Saunders, Premier Kathleen Wynne and Mayor John Tory to respond
to the other demands made by Black Lives Matter, namely:

–The immediate release of the name(s) of the officer(s) who killed Andrew
Loku

–Charges to be laid against the officers who killed Mr. Loku.

–The immediate and public release of any video footage from the apartment
complexwhere Andrew Loku was murdered.

–The adoption of the African Canadian Legal Clinic's demand for a
coroner's inquest intothe death of
Andrew Loku.

–An overhaul of the province's Special Investigations Unit, in
consultation with families ofvictims of
Police violence, the Black community, and the community at large.

–A commitment to the full elimination of carding, including: the deletion
of all previouslyrecorded data, reframing of regulations
to prohibitions, consistent implementation policy amongst different police
boards, and concrete disciplinary measures for officers who continue to card.

–The immediate release of the name(s) of the officer who killed Alex
Wettlaufer, andcharges to be laid accordingly.